Adjusting
by That Fantasy Junkie 96
Summary: Jack and Evelyn left holes that don't seem to be healing anytime soon...or at all. So life goes on but each brother has to deal with his own guilt, scars, and grief from the past weeks. Meanwhile they try the extremely difficult task of not ripping each others' faces off. The Crazy Train has its passengers...the Mercers. T for language, violence, etc. IMPORTANT UPDATE POSTED!
1. Advice from a 12 year old

**Author's Note: Hey, it's been a while! In fact you probably don't remember me but I used to write. And I'm back with much better writing. A year of growth.**

**So I'll explain this story better. It takes place after the shootout. Each chapter focuses on a different brother. It's about life without Evelyn and Jack, but they're bombarded by childhood flashbacks for those who want Jack in this story. (He's a popular guy XD) **

**I wanted to start the first chapter with Jerry, he doesn't get enough love. Most of you think the movie was called Two Brothers...:P**

**Disclaimer: Clearly this was not my movie, if it was I wouldn't be on Fanfiction, would I?**

**Okay, I'll shut up. Reviews would make me smile :)**

**Adjusting, by That Fantasy Junkie 96**

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It'd been 3 weeks since Victor Sweet died and the remaining Mercers were still trying to wrap their heads around what had happened. Their mom, the only person that ever cared if they lived or died as children was dead. They would never hear her 60's music around the house.

They would never smell her rose perfume as she walked by. They would never have a person like her to talk to again. A woman who was caring yet completely strong.

She would never let them get away with something that they shouldn't. Their mother wasn't exactly a picture of perfect health but she didn't deserve to go like that. They all understood that a mom is supposed to die before their children. But a kind 62 year-old woman was not supposed to get shot in cold blood. It was most definitely a sucker punch (to say the least).

And then there was Jack. Their Jackie. From the day he walked into the Mercer house, as a terrified, small, and defenseless 9 year old, the 3 had promised to protect him. Now Jack was not supposed to be the first to go under any circumstances.

All 3 brothers told themselves, promised themselves that he was officially under their protection. But instead he got holes shot through him because they were too busy fighting with each other.

Jeremiah Mercer put most of the blame on himself. After all it was his project that got their mom killed. And now he had 2 deaths on his conscience. Jerry loved his brothers as much as his wife and girls. It was a different kind of love but it was still there, even though he didn't like to admit it sometimes. Brothers usually don't admit it. Even though Jack was legally an adult, Jerry still had an obligation to protect him as much as he did Amelia and Daniella.

In fact all 3 brothers never thought of Jack as an adult. He was just a kid. A kid who was now in the ground while they had to go on without him. They'd never hear Jack's guitar, while his amp was on full blast. They'd never hear Ramones music every time he got a hold of the stereo in the living room. They'd never see his ripped jeans in the clothes hamper.

Not to mention he'd never cook them breakfast again (because he was the only one who bothered to learn). Jack would never make Thanksgiving dinner again. Because there was no more Jack.

Although Jerry was usually very level-headed, he could turn on someone like a snake for his brothers. Jack was the baby. He didn't deserve to die the way he did. Although they'd let Jack tag along, all 3 brothers secretly wished that they just kept him under house arrest. He wouldn't allow it though. Jack was docile, but that didn't mean he would let his mother get killed and not bat an eyelash.

Jack was sweet, but he wasn't a fucking daisy. He had his demons just like each brother. But for all his suffering Jack was still one of a kind. He was self-reserved and meek, but still spunky with a Mercer attitude on top of that. He was gentle, but firece. And he was one hell of a little brother.

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**January 16th, 1996**

22 year old Jeremiah Mercer ran his hand across his chin and sighed. He was not in a good mood for lack of better term. "Damn women," he quitely cursed.

"Hey Jerry," a small voice belonging to an even smaller child greeted. A boy with pasty white skin, large blue eyes, and messy dark gold hair.

"Hey Cracker Jack," Jerry said tiredly.

Jack raised an eyebrow and sat down next to him. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"No, I'm not."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Jack I really don't think a 12 year old would understand," Jerry snapped.

"Oh...sorry..." Jack said quietly, his eyes downcast.

Jerry mentally slapped himself. That was mean."No, I'm sorry. It's just more of an adult thing."

"Don't gimme that crap," Jack said abruptly. Jerry's eyes bugged out of his head. Was Jack just assertive with him?

"What the hell was that for?"

"Well Bobby told me-"

"That explains it," Jerry cut him off.

"Oh I see," Jack said with a smug smile.

"What?"

"This is about Camille, huh?"

"How'd you know that?" Jerry asked puzzled.

"Well Angel told me when you're upset like this, it means you're whipped. So I asked him what that meant and he said it had to do with girls. So is it about Camille?"

"We uh... had a fight," Jerry said disappointed.

"Bout what?"

"You wouldn't understand, Jack. You're a little kid."

"Could you try?" Jack asked.

"Okay, I'll give it a shot, Dr. Phil. We're fighting because I saw her getting friendly with another man. So I confronted her and she dumped me. She says it's because I over react about everything, but she just wants to be with him."

"C'mon, you don't believe that."

"I don't?" Jerry asked furiously.

"No you don't," Jack repeated. "And I'll tell you why."

"Why?" Jerry asked in a monotone voice.

"You're in love with her. So naturally when you love someone you blow everything out of proportion."

"I don't-"

"Let me finish. When you love someone, a fight suddenly means that she hates you, a problem with a relationship suddenly means that there's someone else involved, and a friend who's a guy suddenly becomes so much more than what he is."

Jerry just blinked. Holy shit Jack was right!

"Why could you guess that?"

"Because Bobby told me he used to do the same thing."

"I'm like Bobby?!" Jerry exclaimed. That wasn't something to be proud of.

"No you share a trait with him. In fact me and Angel have it too."

"What would that be?"

"Because we're adopted-"

"Jack don't" Jerry drawled. Always a touchy subject.

"Because we're adopted. Going from different fosters homes was never permanent. Whenever we get something that's close to or is permanent, it doesn't seem possible. So we test it to prove that it is."

"When did Bobby do that?" Jerry asked inquisitively.

"Ma told me that just when he was starting to get used to her, he ran away just to see how much she cared. When he finally came home, Ma filed for adoption the very next day."

"Yeah but why?"

"I guess when some people have something wonderful, they want to make sure it's not going away. So my whole point of this is that maybe Camille was friendly with this guy because all he was was a friend. Nothing more."

Jerry suddenly wrapped that crazy white boy in a hug. "Jack I love ya!" he exclaimed. "I'm gonna call her!" he said going for the phone.

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**I've been having some writer's block so I thought I'd put this chapter up. To see what you guys think.**

**So bye! :D **

***cough cough* Reviews! *cough cough* **


	2. Guilt, Growing Balls, and Girl Scouts

**Chapter 2 kiddos! Well I think the lack of reviews is because (as predicted) I don't have Bobby here yet. That or maybe my wrting just sucks XD. Or maybe my summary wasn't that good. Idk but Anyway here's one of the Bobby chapters... Enjoy and please give me something to tell me you actually read it :)**

**UPDATE: Anyway at first I mentioned it being 2 days till Christmas, but in my other chapters it won't work, so it's a few days until Christmas now :)**

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It was a few days until Christmas and Bobby Mercer didn't feel much like celebrating. There was no point anymore. In Christmas's past, if he actually decided to roll into town it would be for his family. Jack hated it when he missed holidays... even the stupid ones. Bobby had excuse after excuse as to not show up, but eventually Jack was done taking it.

So Bobby would go into town as to avoid getting chewed out by the moody youngest brother. Of course he didn't have that luxury anymore. Which was the reason he didn't want to celebrate. The holidays was a way to see your family. But he was running out of family to see.

His mother was dead. She was the real person who could bring the estranged brothers back into town. There wasn't a day that went by when he didn't think about her. Her smile, her eyes, her attitude. Everything about her amazed him. He wasn't exactly the best son in the world. His back-talk to his frustrated teachers, his hockey fights and eventual hospital trips (but usually he did the sending), his damn morals even.

But she loved him just the same as Jerry, who always came for holidays, or Angel, who was always there to talk to, and Jack, who was the only person she could have an actual 60's music conversation with. All Bobby was good at was getting people killed.

Jack's death had to be his fault. It was him who dragged his brothers all over Detroit for revenge. He would blurt something out about not honoring Ma if any of them were starting to get cold feet. He never should've came. Jack would still be alive if he had just accepted that revenge wouldn't bring his mother back.

He'd have taken those bullets for Jack in a second. He'd take a hundred more just so the kid never felt an ounce of pain again. He'd promised, _promised _himself that he'd never let anything ever hurt Jack again. He'd promised Jack that as well. In the end, his promises weren't worth much.

Jack's last moments of life were spent with holes torn through him. Bobby couldn't count the times he'd wished for their places to be switched. Family was his world, although he didn't always say it. Jack was a shred of hope that the world wasn't always a horrible place, full of people constantly trying to fuck him over. He had a real future. Jack's godamn innocence was something to fight for.

Christmas was just another fucking day with no one to spend it with. Sure he had Jerry and Angel, who he loved just as much, but they had their own lives. Jerry had little girls. They didn't need Bobby's miserable, self-loathing ass hanging around. So he decided to spend the days leading up to Christmas and Christmas itself in a Whiskey bottle. It numbed the pain until the morning. Or atleast it used to.

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**November 16th, 1998**

Bobby Mercer let out a loud grown as the worst sound in the world echoed in his ears. His stupid phone was ringing. Who the hell thought they had the right? He sighed and picked up his phone, still in bed. "What?" he growled. A calm but assertive voice replied.

**"God, you're still not up?!"**

"Jack? Newsflash Fairy, it's like 6 in the morning!"

**"Hey dumbass, it's past noon,"** Jack replied matching Bobby's intensity.

"Okay well I assume you didn't call me to insult me..."

**"Hey what happens when you assume, Bobby?"**

"You make an ass out...wait a minute I'm the one who taught you that!" Bobby spat.

**"Well cookie for you, Princess."**

"What makes you think you can talk to me like that?" Bobby tried to remain calm. Jack has turned fifteen about a month earlier and he must've found some balls, because Bobby couldn't recall him being such an ass.

**"Don't think you're special."**

"I'm special because I can kick your skrawny ass!" Bobby was getting pissed. Hadn't this punk ever heard of 'respect your elders'?

**"Well occasion would never call for it. You're never home."**

"Next time I come home, I will end you..."

**"Ooh, I'm shakin' now...please Bobby you're a girl scout to me."**

"What the hell did you just say?"

**"What? You need a hearing aid too?"** Jack replied smoothly.

"Watch your mouth, or I'll be there to bash it!" Bobby was bluffing of course. He would never dream of hurting Jack. He'd rather die.

**"You're a goddamn liar..."** Jack replied accusingly.

"You think?"

**"Duh...you'll never show..."**

"Keep pushing me and I'll show real soon."

**"Yeah right, go play some hockey with the neighborhood toddlers..."**

"Say one more thing! I'll-"

**"Throw some thin mints at me, Girl Scout?"**

"That fuckin' does it! I'm comin home!"

**"So Thanksgiving?"** Jack asked calmly.

"Hell yeah!"

**"Great, I'll tell Ma. See ya in a few!"**

The line went off. It took Bobby a few seconds to understand what just happened. Jack only got him mad so he'd...oh that punk was dead!

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**Well that was my attempt at humor XD. Hope you liked it. Btw the next chapters will not always follow the same pattern of thoughts and a flashback. It will develop a plot.**

**Catch y'all later! **


	3. Of Big Brothers and Orange Juice

**Aha! More views than ever since I put up a Bobby chapter! :D well as long as you're reading it... Anyway I'm going to start developing a plot. And of course Angel will be in this story because he's epic! Well enjoy and I would pester you for reviews but I doubt you will either way. XD Ehh...just hope you like it!**

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Angel Mercer rubbed his eyes and pushed Sofi's leg off of his. He crawled out of bed while she remained in a deep sleep, probably dreaming about all the high points they hit last night. Angel knew that Bobby hated that he and Sofi were keeping such a close watch on him, but Bobby had been worrying everyone lately. He'd either drink and when he wasn't drinking, he was yelling at something or someone.

But mostly it was a combination of the two. Bobby had always been incredibly strong but nobody expected him to just bounce back. None of the Mercer brothers would ever truely bounce back. They had lost too much. Angel went into the bathroom, brushed his teeth, took a shower, the usual stuff, and then grumbly made his way downstairs. He looked out the window at the driveway.

Bobby's car wasn't there. God knows where he was but he always pulled this crap. Angel gritted his teeth. _Sneaky fuckin' prick._ Oh he'd know what Jack would say. "_Angel, stop gritting your teeth, the insane whiteness of them is making me blind." _While his mind was on Jack (it usually was) Angel pulled out his wallet and removed a neat, but dated photograph.

A few days ago he'd been looking through his mother's old albums and he found a picture from May 6th, 2000. His 23rd birthday. Angel was wearing a ridiculous party hat that Bobby made him wear. Jack had his arms tightly around Angel's shoulders, heads leaned close together to fit the picture. They both wore an incredibley cheeky-ass grin. There wasn't a day that went by where he didn't look at that picture.

He liked having a little bit of Jack to hang onto. Of course he had a picture of his mother with him too. Always. It was a beautiful feeling to have someone care about you the way she did. Angel opened the cabinet where the Mercers kept all their alcohol and his eyes went wide when it was completely empty. _Looks like Bobby's been hitting this with no mercy, _he thought, annoyed. Just as he went for some orange juice instead he saw a 75' Thunderbird roll into the driveway and a stocky, white man walk out.

Bobby unlocked the door and came into the kitchen, to find Angel glaring at him. "What the hell's your problem?" he barked.

Angel shrugged and returned to his orange juice. "Just happy that you decided to come home..."

_"_You looked _thrilled_."

"It's not funny. You know I was worried, man. You didn't pick up your fucking phone," Angel said, turning his gaze at his brother again.

"Well no need to worry, Angel. I'm not a teenage girl."

"Then don't act like one!" Angel slammed the carton on the counter, spilling a bit of its contents.

Bobby looked a little shocked for a moment but then combated with "What the fuck's your major malfunction?!"

"You, Bobby! You're fucking major malfunction!. You stay out all damn night, you don't answer me when I call you, for all I know you could be fucking dead!" Angel's voice was raw with emotion.

"Why would I be dead? I'm a big boy now," Bobby stated.

"For all I know you could've pissed off another gangster who owns the damn neighborhood!"

"Well Sweetheart, if you have something to day spit it out! Don't keep it to yourself like a fucking 5 year-old!" Bobby shouted.

"Okay... you really don't care about me and Jerry, do you?!" Angel came closer to his brother.

"What kind of a question is that?! Of course I do but when you're acting like this, I wonder why I do!" Bobby fired back.

"You're fucking selfish, I like to know where you are! We've lost more than I can handle this month, I can't lose you too!"

"Oh, and I can see you're really broken up, Angel!" Bobby spat.

"What does that mean?" Angel asked, clenching his fists in anger.

"I mean you and La Vida Loca weren't exactly crying last night! That's why I left in the first place, idiot!"

"Don't judge me! I've been dealing with Ma and Jack in my own way! But clearly you aren't!" Angel pointed at Bobby.

"Don't pretend to care! All you fuckin' care about is your teeth and your crazy Latina girlfriend!" Bobby and Angel were so close their noses were almost touching. Angel put his hand on Bobby's chest and pushed him back a few feet.

"Don't get me confused with you!"

"I couldn't possibly, I'm not dating that bitch!" Bobby stated.

"Leave my girl out of this! If you wanna talk about who cares, you should be pointing the finger of blame at your stupid white self! You roll into town maybe once every 2 or 3 years if we're lucky and now since Ma and Jack are dead, you want to be sentimental? Well it's too late now!"

The only answer Angel got was a punch square to his jaw. He stumbled but didn't fall. Angel hit Bobby right back, catching his brother on the cheek. The two were brawling for about a minute before Bobby pushed Angel off and grabbed his keys again.

"Where the hell are you going?!" Angel roared, whiping some blood off his lip.

"Anywhere!" Bobby yelled and slammed the door on his way out.

"Angel punched the wall in frustration, ignoring the pain that shot up his knuckles. Quietly, mind still on Bobby, he took a seat and returned to his orange juice.

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**Well any indication as to how I'm doing would be great! I'm sorry if this chapter felt a little rushed. As you can see, I enjoy the brotherly angst. Catch you crazy kids later! Reviews would make me a happy chick! :D**


	4. No Apologies and Red Plaid Pajama Pants

**For the reviews that I did receive they were very heart-warming, especially from a user named g. I will try to update ASAP I just have some writer's block. Also any ideas you have , I'm open to, just suggest things becasue I am having a block. I will try to put in more Jack, because he is the real soul of the story. So for now enjoy what I have and please keep the reviews comin' ;D they inspire me!**

**Disclaimer: Any bands, artists, or songs I may mention, I own no rights to.**

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**December 26th, 2000**

Angel began lofting through CD's to play in the new stereo that Jerry had gotten their mother. It would take and awful long time for her to figure it out, seeing as how the woman only owned a record player up until that point. When he found an album he wanted to play, he put it in and sat down beside Bobby, who had almost the whole couch.

"Move your big white feet, man," he muttered.

"Bite me..."

"Robert Mercer!" Evelyn scolded from the kitchen.

"Sorry, Ma," he recited. Angel found it pretty funny. A man who was almost 29 years-old still answering to his mother as though he was an obidient 14 year-old. Even though Angel was 23 and he still listened to Evelyn as swiftly as everyone else.

"Ugh, what are you playing?" Bobby asked Angel.

"What do you care? You hate everything," Angel replied.

Jack's soft footsteps were echoing on the staircase then he made his way into the living room. He was still in his red plaid pajama pants and one of his 9 or so KISS shirts. He made a snorting noise as he heard the Rap music playing.

"What's up with the bad music, Ang?" he asked incredulously.

"It's R. Kelly, Cracker Jack," Angel replied.

"Well I'm sure Jerry didn't buy Ma that so you could blast freakin' R. Kelly," Jack stated.

"That's because Jerry would blast Mary J. Blige!" Angel shouted loud enough for Jerry, in the kitchen, to hear.

"I like Mary!" Jerry yelled from the kitchen.

"Well I don't care who wants what, I will not listen to this stuff in the morning," Jack said as he made his way over to the stereo. The all too familiar sound of Def Leppard's 'Photograph' played around the room. "That's legions better!" Jack exclaimed as he sat down on the recliner.

"How'd I know it would be white people music?" Angel drawled.

"Hey music knows no race, Angel. I listen to plenty of black musicians," Jack argued.

"Like who?" Bobby interrupted.

"Hendrix."

"Aside from the obvious one," Angel scoffed.

"Living Colour."

"Who?" Angel asked.

"Exactly," Jack pointed out.

"Who else?" Jerry asked from the kitchen. Obviously he had been listening to the conversation.

"Tony McAlpine...Slash, Tom Morello, and dUg Pinnick are all half black."

"Okay, I get it!" Angel interrupted him. Normally Angel would keep arguing until he was satisfied but when it came to music, Jack would rant and rant and rant.

"Just so we're clear, Angel. I don't hate black musicians, I just hate Rap," Jack concluded.

"Why?" Angel asked.

"C'mon, we've had this conversation before, you just don't listen..."

"I wanna know, Jack."

"It's just rhyming, Ang. Dr. Seuss could rhyme, but he didn't have to put it on a freakin' computer beat and call it music," Jack said.

"Owned!" Bobby yelled as he pointed at Angel.

Jack and Angel both stared at Bobby until he got the message that he didn't belong in the conversation.

"Dorks..." Bobby muttered as he left the living room.

"What makes Rock N' Roll and Heavy Metal and Punk and all this 'Jack' music so good then?" Angel asked.

"It's inspiring and it takes real talent."

"What do you mean?" Angel asked, annoyed. He would not lose an arguement with Jack of all people. Bobby, for example would argue red is blue, until you had to agree with him. But Jack was a pushover on his best days...right?

"Can R. Kelly play a George Lynch solo?" Jack asked smoothly.

"No."

"Well there's your answer." Jack had a smug smile on his face.

"Shut up," Angel blurted, accepting defeat.

* * *

***Present story time***

Bobby returned home about 5 hours after he left. His left eye was black and his lip was split, no doubt from the brawl he and Angel had earlier. Angel didn't look much better either, with his right black eye and the lovely cut on his chin. Both of them were pretty banged up. It wouldn't be the first time that they fought like that. Angel had hit every brother, except for Jack of course.

Not that he loved Jack more, it was just an unspoken agreement between all of the Mercer brothers that no one hit Jack. He was the pet. When he first came to the Mercer house, he was so small, like the next breeze would knock him over. It took Jack months to even get close to the weight a healthy kid his age should've been.

Angel was ashamed of the times he had gotten rough with the youngest Mercer, but a punch was different. Punches were for fights he had with Jerry and Bobby. Adults punched each other. And although Jack was past eighteen when he died, although he was tall, with a voice deeper than Bobby, he was just a kid.

This fight with Bobby seemed different then ones Angel could recall.

The way they were yelling at each other. It almost made Angel want to apologize, but for once he wanted Bobby to swallow his pride.

Angel walked into the living room, where the oldest Mercer was watching hockey. Bobby gave him a quick glance then returned to the TV as though his ignoring of Angel would send him to Cuba. Regardless, Angel sat on the other side of the couch, the same couch Bobby was on.

For about 10 minutes they sat in total silence. Every so often Bobby would glance at Angel and vice versa.

Bobby thought bitterly to himself. '_I didn't do anything wrong. Angel's the dumb fuck who started with me...'_

Angel as well thought to himself. _'Wait until Bobby applogizes...fuck it! He never will...'_

"Hey, Bobby."

"Yeah?" Bobby replied darkly. He wasn't in the mood for another lecture.

"Remeber how Jack used to get so pissed if you called a song by The Stooges an Iggy Pop song?"

Bobby smiled softly and let out a small chuckle. "I still can't remember the difference, man."

"Neither can I..."

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**So again any suggestions would be nice, I completely winged this chapter.**

**And if I offended you with my opinions about Rap, I really don't care. ;) It's how I feel and it's how I think Jack would feel. As you have guessed already I am a Hard Rock and Heavy Metal fanatic! Any music that I mention in a positive way, you should really listen to. It's nothing personal against R. Kelly, he just made sense for what year the flashback was in.**

**I don't mean if you like Rap, I hate you, but- okay you get my point. ;D**

**Reviews+Suggestions= Happy Days for this Italian! :D**

**Again: Don't sue me because I don't have rights to any of the music mentioned. **


	5. Broken Glass, Dreams, and Pulpy Liquids

**Still almost out of ideas, I think my best ideas come up if I just relax and let it flow. Well whatever maybe you guys don't care XD Either way the reviews have been nice, but I'd still like some ideas from you, I trust that there are a lot of good writers out there that understand the characters as much as I do. So please, I'm a person who's always open to new ideas! Read and Review blah blah blah...enjoy children!**

**Sorry for the late update, Da Bearssss beat my Cowboys last night, so I wasn't happy about that... -_-**

* * *

Bobby Mercer awoke to the sound of glass shattering. "Great..." he mumbled. When he heard a shirll woman's voice cursing in Spanish, he rolled back into sleep. Nothing new. About 3 hours later he woke back up, this time officially and walked towards the bathroom. After brushing his teeth, showering, gelling his hair, and getting clean clothes on, he made his way downstairs.

"Watch where you step, man," Angel's voice said, from a distance. "There's-"

"Glass, I know," Bobby interrupted. He went into the living room where Angel was sitting on the couch with a glass of orange juice. "Wanna explain?" Bobby tried one of his calmest tones, he didn't want to start a fight like the one they had before. '_Even though Angel started that one_,' he noted.

Angel took an awkwardly long sip of orange juice and then replied. "Sofi...we had a fight. She went to throw somethin at me, I ducked and it smashed the window."

Bobby rolled his eyes. "This house has been beaten up enough lately, don't ya think? The last think we need is La Vida Loca breaking more shit."

"I ducked," Angel pointed out.

"Only natural response, brother. What did she throw at you anyway?"

"Not important," Angel made a waving motion with his hand, as though throwing the thought out the window. Oh yeah, no more window. "Well Bobby what did you expect the house to look like after a freakin' shootout?" Angel immediately wished he hadn't have mentioned that. That little glint of guilt flashed up in his brother's hazel eyes. Bobby put all of the blame on himself for that.

Even though Angel would argue until he was blue in the face that it was just as much he and Jerrys' fault as it was Bobby's. They all should've been paying more attention to Jack, they were to busy fighting. That was the part that Angel hated the most. Jack hated it, _hated it_ when they fought and that was the last time they all spent together until...So much for Hallmark memories.

"Bobby, I'm-"

"I know you are. I just wish I would have been paying attention..."

"You mean we? Angel asked.

"No..." Bobby said quitely and then he walked into the kitchen. Something was off about that. Usually Bobby would get pissed, blame someone else, but _that_. He just sounded weary, almost hopeless. Angel couldn't explain it, but that freaked him out more than Bobby yelling at the top of his lungs.

Oh he'd know what Jack would say. _"Go figure out what's bothering him. Although Bobby doesn't admit it, talking really helps him out."_

He'd know what his mother would say too. _"Bobby is very smart. If something big is bothering him, he'll have the sense to tell somone,"_

Angel couldn't believe how trusting she was that Bobby always made the right descisions. For as cocky as Bobby comes off, Angel was one of the few people that could tell when he was uneasy. Jack usually couldn't, Bobby was always as strong as possible around him. Their mother was probably the only other person who could. Angel sipped his orange juice, frowning at the emptiness.

When he went for the fridge, Bobby seemed frozen staring at a picture on it. Angel raised his eyebrows, how long had he been staring at it? He took the picture and turned it over. _November 16th, 1993. _He turned it back around to look at it. It was Jack, he wasn't any older than ten, that was close to his first Thanksgiving with them.

His eyes were still as big as saucers, their turquoise color inviting and sad at the same time. He had a soft smile, that kid had almost no confidence back then. Angel put the picture back on the fridge, this time so the date was facing front. "I need some orange juice man," Angel said quietly as Bobby didn't seem to be moving anytime soon.

"Sorry," Bobby muttered as he left the kitchen. _Did he just apologize? _Now that was way weird. Angel expected a _"Get your black ass out of my fuckin' way!" _And Bobby seemed so distanced from him. Bobby was literally treating him like a ditchable prom date! Angel poured some orange juice and took a sip, mind still on Bobby. Angel thought of his older brother. Bobby was being selfish.

They all lost their mother and Jack. They all felt the pain of losing a loved one...twice...within a 2 week span. And now Bobby was acting like he had a complete disregard for his own life. Angel drummed his fingers on the counter, he was running out of things to lose. He couldn't talk to Sofi about this stuff. Sure, she was his girl but she wouldn't understand. Compared to Angel, Sofi was always so privileged. Besides she wasn't even around.

After their fight, she drove off, claiming she had to visit her cousin and get her mind off of things. Only Angel's mind was always on things. Bobby's worrying behavior, his doomed relationship, the fact that he was alive and Jack and his mother were dead. He couldn't possibly have peace of mind.

"Hey, brother," Jerry's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"How'd you get in here?" Angel asked incredulously.

"The front door, Ang," Jerry stated bluntly. Jerry sounded different. Oh god...another malfunction with an older brother!

"What's wrong with you?" Angel asked, concerned. Jerry almost _always _had his shit together.

Jerry pinched the bridge of his nose. "I had another dream..."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Angel asked, calmly, like their mother used to.

Jerry raised his eyebrow.

"I usually don't bear my soul like a girl, but I'll try to help," Angel explained himself.

"It was Jack again..."

"Was it about...that day?" Angel asked.

"No...it was just him. He was standing at the foot of my bed, paler than usual. You could see all the wounds on him...all the blood." Jerry took a deep breath and continued. "For a while he just stood there, and stared. Then he sat down and he talked to me. He seemed mad. He didn't yell, but he just talked. His tone was so...scary. He kept saying how it was my fault that he and Ma are dead. I pleaded, but he was so...unforgiving. Then I woke up."

"Jerry, don't do that to yourself..." Angel said.

"Well he's right!"

Angel swallowed hard. "_He _is nobody. That person in your dream, he wasn't Jack. Even with all that's happened, do you honestly think Jack would blame you?"

"He has a reason to..."

"Answer the question, Jerry," Angel said firmly.

"No, I don't..."

Angel set his jaw. "Do you realize who we're talking about here? Jack, Jerry. Jack. Remember all the shit we used to pull and yet how every single time, he'd find it in his heart to forgive us. With all the fights we had, we put him through hell sometimes. But Jack would never say those things to you, Jerry. It's just not him." Angel concluded, feeling pretty confident that something he said there would help Jerry out.

"I guess you have a point."

"Glad you agree. I can't have you acting like that too."

"Like what?" Jerry asked.

"Like Bobby..." Angel said, trailing off into thought.

"Why, what's he doing?"

Angel winked. "Maybe you should stick around here for a few and find out."

* * *

**Well I was a bit rushed, I just wanted to get a chapter out so you guys didn't think I died. Again. IDEAS, I won't turn you down unless your idea is gross. Like a brother slash thing or whatever. They may be adopted, but that's wrong on legions of levels...*shudders***

**And please no OC's. I can't write romances and I have no desire to. **

**But other than that, hit me up! :D I'd love to get the audience involved. **


	6. Lab Partners and Lifetime Moments

**I'm sorry for how long it's been. I'm balancing school, marching band, and an actual story that I'm writing. I have writer's block like crazy! I hope I still have an audience and for those of you who favorite and don't review, I know who you are! -_- And I'm still open for ideas. Alright enjoy. Btw, there will be more flashbacks, I just have to think of some XD**

* * *

It was Christmas day and Jeremiah Mercer was on his way over to his mother's house, well it was technically Bobby and Angels' now. It was past noon, he had already opened presents with Camille and his girls. He told them that he had to see his brothers and Camille thought it would be nice if they all went down.

Now Jerry didn't quite agree, because for all he knew, someone was drinking too much, fighting, screaming, or a nasty mix of all of that.

He didn't want his little girls thinking their uncles were bad people. However he couldn't say no to Camille, generally she called the shots. He didn't want to argue with her, although she did something incredibly cute with her nose when she got mad.

She'd always been so strong, so assertive, Jerry found that cool since the day he met her. They first met in high school when they were seventeen.

She was absolutely stunning. He didn't talk to her for the longest time, because she was apparently 'too beautiful'. That's what he told Evelyn. But second semester, she was his lab partner, so he had to open his mouth eventually. She said _'Hi, I'm Camille.' _

Unfortunately Jerry responded with _'Uhhhh...' _as he stared into her captivating dark eyes. However Jerry was persistent and eventually he had the nerve to ask her out. Eventually being the last day of school.

His oldest Daniela was so much like her mother. She had that bossy streak, which at times was frustrating for a father. Still he supposed it was better than her being like him. All sneaky and untrustworthy.

Jerry opened the front door and prayed for the best. To his surprise, no one was screaming. Instead Angel greeted them with a nice smile. "Hey guys!"

"How's it going?" Jerry asked cautiously. Angel didn't smile unless Bobby tripped over something.

Angel shrugged. "It's going good, man. And how are my favorite Nieces doing?" Angel picked up each girl with one arm as they both hugged him. Camille smiled. Angel always so good with kids, although he swore he didn't want any.

"We got you a present, Uncle Angel," Daniela said as she handed him the obviously child wrapped gift.

"You did? Well that's very nice of you girls," Angel said as he put them down.

"Daddy wrapped it," Amelia pointed out. Camille let out a tiny giggle.

"He should've let me do it..." she said to herself.

"Well I got you something too. But for now do you wanna go see Uncle Bobby?" Angel asked.

They both nodded but Jerry cleared his throat. "I don't think you should do think, he's probably sleeping," Jerry said winking at Angel.

"Who cares?" Angel asked, not getting the hint.

Jerry, in his mind, slapped Angel. Sometimes he was such an idiot.

"Why would Uncle Bobby be sleeping?" Daniela asked Angel. "Is he sad?"

"A little."

"Why?"

"It's more of an adult thing, Sweety," Angel said quietly. Not something to bring up while eating ham and wearing Christmas sweaters.

"You guys talkin' about me?" Bobby's voice rung from behind them. He sounded surprisingly not so miserable.

"We got you something for Christmas," Amelia said as she handed Bobby a package. This one looked much better wrapped. Camille obviously wrapped it.

"Thank you, honey," Bobby said as he hugged both girls.

"Are you still sad?" Amelia asked. Bobby couldn't help but smile. The last time he saw innocence like that was when Jack was little. Well Jack wasn't exactly innocent. A few foster parents took that away from him a long time ago. Jack had his problems with drugs, he almost destroyed his liver from all the drinking, but he had strength. Strength that even he didn't see.

Bobby never told him that though. There were a lot of things he wished he said to Jack. The fact that all the times he screamed at him for stupid things Jack did in his teenage years, it was because he loved him and he was only looking out for him.

That all the times he left Jack out of the brotherly escapades, it wasn't because he didn't trust him, it wasn't because he thought Jack wasn't smart enough, it was to keep him safe.

"I'm better," was Bobby's reply. He was lying though. These days, he couldn't be better if he was never fine in the first place. No need to spoil a little girl's Christmas though.

Jerry signaled to Bobby to follow him in the kitchen. Angel followed, though no one invited him. Bobby was getting a little pissed at his brothers. They always wanted to talk. Do they ever breathe? Bobby always hated the Lifetime moments that they insisted on.

They all entered the kitchen and Bobby put on his irritated face. "What?" he asked.

Jerry blinked. That was kind of sudden. "How...How are you doing?"

"I'm okay."

"Bobby..." Angel nagged.

"Angel, I'm fine," Bobby snapped.

"You haven't been fine lately, man," Angel pointed out.

"Angel will you stop trying to control me?" Bobby said, fiercely.

"I'm not, although maybe someone should!" Angel raised his voice in anger. He was sick of Bobby's mood swings like he was a freakin' hormonal pregnant woman. He was sick about all the bar fights, arrests, and more drinking than is nessesary. He was simlpy sick of Bobby.

"Hey now," Jerry warned. _Just _what he feared would happen.

"Since when you do suddenly think you can tell me what to do?" Bobby asked. "I'm the older brother, kid!"

"_Kid?!_ I'm 27, douchebag!"

"Yeah, you're a dinosaur!" Bobby fired back.

"What has been your point through all of this?"

"I'm in my fuckin' 30's! I can take care of myself, stop your nagging! Why do you nag?!" Bobby asked.

"_Because I can't lose anyone else!"_ Angel didn't mean for that to come out. He'd been keeping that inside for weeks. Usually Angel was very internal.

"What?" Bobby asked, eyebrows raised.

"I couldn't do anything about Ma, and I didn't pay any attention to Jack! I was supposed to watch him, it's my job!"

"No it was mine!" Bobby spat. He was about to storm out again, but Angel grabbed his forearm.

"Don't touch me, Angel," Bobby said darkly.

Jerry intervened. He couldn't handle this, not with his little girls in the same house. "Guys, stop!" he said as he pulled the two apart. "I can't deal with this anymore. I have a family, kids to raise and a wife to love. I can't keep worrying about you two!"

"Well then by all means, ignore us," Bobby replied.

"You're one to talk about ignoring your family, Bobby," Jerry argued.

Bobby's face went bright red. "Well at least I have the sense to come back home to fix your mistakes, Jerry!"

Jerry's eyes widened. "Are you blaming me for what happened to Ma?!" he asked. He couldn't believe that. He didn't think Bobby still thought that about him.

"Not just her," Bobby said darkly as he glanced at one of Jack's rings on the counter.

Jerry's eyes went even wider as Bobby left the kitchen. They could hear him storming up the steps. Suddenly Camille came in. She looked between brother and brother. Jerry's stoney expression, Angel's slightly guilty face.

"What's wrong, honey?" she asked Jerry putting a soft hand on his shoulder.

"Let's roll," was Jerry's only relpy as he left as well. Camille stayed however and Angel feared an interrogation.

"Explain," she said.

"Camille, don't worry. We all said things we didn't mean," Angel explained tiredly. He really wasn't in the mood for this. One of his brothers was dead and his other two couldn't stop fighting. _Terrific! _

He wished his mother was still alive. She'd kick both their ass by now...and maybe his. That didn't bother him much though, as long as it got them all to stop yelling.

Camille just raised an eyebrow and left the kitchen. Angel took in a sharp inhale and headed for the fridge. A little orange juice never hurt...

_"What's your obsession with orange juice anyway?" _He could practically hear Jack say it.

* * *

**I really am not a fan of this one. It feels rushed. I just needed to post something until more inspiration strikes. **

**Reviews=Victory dance. Thanks guys :)**


	7. Update!

**IMPORTANT UPDATE**

Sorry that I teased you, it's not a new chapter :(

Due to severe writer's block, this story will be on hold. I have basic ideas, but getting them down has been difficult. This story isn't as good as it could be, part of me just wants to rewrite it. I know I don't have a lot of followers, but for the die-hard fans of this story, I apologize.

Maybe I'll post another story so you know that I'm alive. I have a habit on discontinuing, but when I write one that I am very proud of I will never abandon it.

**Any ideas that any of you might have would be greatly appreciated.**

Again, I am sorry, but I don't want to keep you in suspense for a chapter that might not come for a long time.

With a heavy heart,

~~~That Fantasy Junkie 96~~~


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